Improving the Capacity of the Holding Company for Water and Waste Water (HCWW) - Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development,
Egypt
(EuropeAid/129937/D/SER/EG)
Holding Company Capacity Improvement (PAO-SAAP / European Union)
C HCI
Dr.Helalley Abdelhady Helalley Holding Company Capacity Improvement (HCCI)
Project Location
3
Scum/Screenings Leachate Evaporation Ponds
Storage Area for Spoil Material
Dedicated
Land
Disposal
(DLD)
Area
Compost Area
Fuel Station Guard House
Administration Building Vehicle Wash
Sludge and Grit Receiving Area Sludge Wash Area
Dedicated Land Disposal (DLD) Area
Spoil Material
Storage
Area Scum/Screenings
Trenches
Grit treatment
Area
Emergency
Composting Area
Sludge composted at site 9 is mechanically dewatered sludge from the East and West treatment plants and some other smaller treatment facilities. Total quantity processed on average: 2000 m3/d
6
Sludge mechanical dewatering
through belt presses
7
Receiving area : sludge unloading into spreaders
Sludge spreading on the soil
surface in a layer of 65 mm
thickness.
sludge application rate:
10-30 kg/m2
Mixing
sludge with
soil
Previous sludge disposal system Dedicated Land Disposal (DLD)
Disking operation
Mixing
sludge
with soil
Land disposal had some environmental nuisances
associated such as unpleasant odors and the attraction of
flies. The neighbors near site 9 complained about it. Also
there was the potential for serious groundwater contamination.
We began looking at other sludge treatment and disposal
options. In 1995, we started pilot composting trials in order
to determine optimal operating conditions in a large scale
composting operation.
Problems with site 9N previous disposal system
12
Composting Rules
C:N from 25:1 to 40:1
Moisture ~ 40 to 65%
Oxygen > 5 ppm
Temperature 55 - 65 o C for a
total of 5 days
Why do it?
Dry matter/volume reduction ~ 50%
Cheaper transportation
Land apply at farmer’s convenience
Reduced odor
Reduces fly and disease problems
Can help manage storage capacity
Aerobic microorganisms
(Composting process)
Raw undigested
sludge Treated sludge
Aeration Moisture
Heat Moisture CO2
Bacteria,
actinomycetes,
fungi
How to eat
something bigger
than you are…..
Respiration
Oxygen in – bugs oxidize carbon sources
Energy used to build cells
CO2 and heat out
18
First step: Windrow formation
Equipment used are trucks and loaders.
Second step: Make windrow more homogeneous and adjust moisture content to optimal level (around 50 – 60 %)
Equipment used: Loader and composter
19
20
Third step : Aeration with objective to maintain oxygen concentration in windrows above 5%.
21
Forth step : turning windrows to aerate and to keep temperatures in the effective range of 55 – 65 .
22
Fifth step: maturation
23
Curing or maturing is a critical phase that follows thermophilic
composting. During this period, which may last for several months,
actinomycetes and fungi slowly break down the remaining digestible material.
Raw Sludge Characteristics
Moisture 70% - 80%
Total solids 20% – 30%
Volatile solids 65% – 70 %
PH 7 – 7.5
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Sludge characteristics after composting
Moisture 10 – 20%
Total solids 80 – 90%
Volatile solids 35 – 45 %
PH 7 – 7.5
Nitrogen 1.2 – 1.8
Phosphors .8% - 0.9%
Potassium .3 – .4 %
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Final Heavy Metals Concentrations in Sludge Compost
Patch5
ppm
Patch4
ppm
Patch3
ppm
Patch
2
ppm
Patch1
ppm
Safe limits
ppm
Element
Element
635 759 721 840 774.2 2800 Zn زنك
288 462 427 491 208.7 1500 Cu نحاس
27 110 140 136 22.6 420 Ni نيكل
2.6 9.7 8.5 10.5 1.0 39 Cd كادميوم
66 171 163 182 265.7 300 Pb رصاص
1.4 - - - 5.75 17 Hg زئبق
153 105 105 104 20.4 1200 Cr كروم
1 - - - - 18 Mo موليبدنم
2.5 - - - - 36 Se سيلينيوم
7.3 - - - 0.8 41 As زرنيخ
26
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Final Sludge Compost Quality
Value Indicator التحليل
5.2 E.C. dsm-1 التىصيل الكهربي
7.1 pH الحمىضت والقلىيت
39.4 O.M % المادة العضىيت
1.2 N % النيتروجين الكلي
221 N, ppm النيتروجين المتاح
0.41 P% الفىسفىر الكلي
140 P, ppm الفىسفىر المتاح
0.93 K % البىتاسيىم
166 Mn, ppm المنجنيس
161 Fe, ppm الحديد
751 Zn, ppm زنك
The microbiological characteristics of the
final compost product
1- Free of pathogenic bacteria, such as:
- Fecal coliform, Salmonella .
2- Free of Eggs of Ascaris ova
3- Free from weed seeds.
4- Free of Nematodes.
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At site 9 we have consistently composted
and achieved a high compost quality in a
safe and cost effective manner
10215.5
12062.64
746011241
54531.65
116259
25351.25
16596.5
30885.5
65917.5
2610026006.25
21278.25
8691.5
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
(Cu
bic
mete
rs)
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
(Years)
The quantity of sludge compost sold at site 9N
Application of sludge compost on corn
trials
No compost added After compost added at the
rate of
15 ton per feddan
Application of sludge compost on
cotton trials
No compost:
Output is 5 tons per
feddan
With compost:
Output is 13 tons per
Fadden
Forest 9 N tells about the effectiveness of
the sludge compost to gradually turn stony
limestone into a fertile soil